Tel Aviv as seen from Jaffa.

Most visitors enter Israel through Ben Gurion International Airport, located about 20 minutes from downtown Tel Aviv. Built of Jerusalem limestone quarried in the nearby Judean Hills, the airport is all bright and sleek with decorations worth study. Even if you are totally zonked from a long flight, look up as you walk the corridor to passport control. The mosaics above the entrance are actual remnants from 5^th and 6^th century Byzantine floors. The Greek inscription on the top right mosaic repeats a Biblical text: “Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.” (Deuteronomy 28:6).

Two views of the Ben Gurion International Airport.

Archeologists define “tel “ or “tell” as a mound or hill built from layer upon on layer of different civilizations. Aviv is the Hebrew name for “spring.” The name symbolizes both the ancient and the renewed—which is particularly fitting for Tel Aviv, a city springing from one of the world’s oldest port cities and emerging as a mega modern international hub.

Located in central Israel, along 14 kilometers of Mediterranean shoreline, Tel Aviv sports first-rate beaches for summer lounging, swimming, playing, relaxing, visiting and enjoying sunshine fun.

The beach is also popular in winter.

How many ways do I love Tel Aviv, let’s start with 1,800—the number of cafes and restaurants that fill the city. Not-to-be missed food experiences include:  big, bountiful, breakfast buffets served at most hotels;  “Modern Israeli” cuisine produced by young Israeli chefs in upscale restaurants; casual fare served with coffee in coffee cafes; and Israel-style fast food (falafel and shawarma) found in street-side stands.

Lamb shawarma and chickpea falafel.

Over 90% of Tel Aviv is Jewish and the city pays attention to Shabbat (from sunset on Friday to an hour after sunset on Saturday). How does Shabbat impact tourists? Most businesses, kosher restaurants and cafes close Friday afternoon and all day Saturday, and public transportation options diminished (taxis still run). The larger hotels limit breakfast buffets to cold specialties or food that can be prepared ahead and kept warm. Some hotels have special Shabbat elevators that stop on every floor so that observers will not have to push electric buttons. The beaches are extra busy. Early Friday evening is quiet, as most residents join family and friends for a traditional Shabbat dinner (try to score an invitation, or hook up with a hotel as the Shabbat feast is as good as it gets) and after dinner, the nightclubs fill and the good times roll.

In 2003 UNESCO proclaimed the “White City” (historic zone) of Tel Aviv a World Cultural Heritage site.  The designation recognizes the city’s 3500 to 4000 Bauhaus-style buildings erected from 1920s to 1950s by immigrant architects who studied at the Bauhaus School in Germany. Interpreted for the Tel Aviv environment, the Israeli International (Bauhaus) architecture focuses on simplicity of design, inexpensive building materials, and functionality over frou frou. Most structures are two to three-story, cubic shapes with flat roofs, white walls and facades with ledges offering shade.

Many Bauhaus buildings line the lovely Rothschild Boulevard.

So let’s talk about Jaffa, which claims to be the oldest port city in the world. The old (and I am talking history dating to the Ice Age, with “modern” referenced in Greek mythology and the Bible) city officially merged with the city of Tel Aviv in 1950. Despite being a part of Tel Aviv, Jaffa remains a physical and psychological separate entity with a multi-ethnic population and shopping stops that range from the shabby flea market to super chic art galleries.

A view of Jaffa in the rain.

Tel Aviv’s walls sport an unusual amount of both graffiti and cats.

Tel Aviv graffiti.

Tel Aviv cats.

Mild Mediterranean weather, flat coastal land and dedicated bike paths throughout the city make biking a totally cool, fun, health-enhancing and cheap way to tour.

Bike rental facilities dot tourist areas in Tel Aviv.

The land of milk and honey’s cornucopia also overflows with luscious produce, so much that Israel produces over 95% of its own food and has plenty leftover for export. Israelis are creative inventors and developed new agricultural technologies to tame land unfriendly to farming. Citrus, olives, avocado, kiwi, corn, tomatoes, cucumber, dates, bananas, berries—name it—the cup runneth over.

I’ve heard Tel Aviv called the “city that doesn’t stop.” People say that the weeknight bar and club scene is like a weekend in any other city of the world, and that the weekend is like New Year’s Eve. I am told the party starts around 11 p.m. with dancing, drinking, and general merry making continuing to morning. I don’t know as I am an early-to-bed-early-to-rise type, but I have been told the town positively rocks. And I believe it—and am sure the calorie-burning dancing accounts for all those buff bodies on the beach.

And the winners for Israel’s top favorite dishes are—sharing second and third place: shawarma (spit roasted meat) and falafel (deep fried balls of ground chickpeas) both served inside a pita pocket along with tahini, chopped vegetable salads and assorted pickles. The first-place number one dish served at every hotel breakfast, every restaurant meal, every snack stand, every food outlet is…are you ready…. hummus.

There are as many variations to hummus as cooks making it. I like hummus very lemony and topped with feta as in the recipe here. If you don’t want the lemon, eliminate the zest. If you prefer a different flavor (garlic, cumin, roasted red pepper) add it. Toppings, too, are adjustable.

When it comes to the best hummus, do your own thing—make yourself happy.

HUMMUS

Yield: about 8 servings as an appetizer.

About 2 cups cooked chickpeas (see note)

1/2 cup tahini

Grated zest from 1 lemon (optional)

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Extra virgin olive oil

Chickpea cooking liquid, as needed

Salt

Optional garnish—use any or all

Whole chickpeas

2 ounces crumbled feta cheese

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Pita bread

Place the chickpeas, tahini, lemon zest and juice from 1/2 lemon in the bowl of a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add 1/4 cup olive oil to the mixture. If the hummus is too thick, or if you want a silkier texture, with motor running, add a little reserved cooking liquid and/or more oil to mixture until desired texture is reached. Add salt to taste.

Mound hummus in the center of a plate. With the back of a large spoon, create a shallow well in the mound. Drizzle olive oil over top of hummus and garnish as desired with whole chickpeas, feta, parsley and/or lemon juice. Serve with pita bread, cut into wedges

NOTE–TO COOK CHICKPEAS  Put good-quality, small dried chickpeas in a large strainer and wash under cold running water, removing any foreign matter or damaged chickpeas.  Transfer chickpeas to a large bowl or pot, cover well with cold water, add a pinch of baking soda and let soak overnight.

Drain chickpeas from soaking liquid and, again, wash well under cold running water.

Put chickpeas in a large pot and generously cover with water. Add another pinch of baking soda. Set pot over moderate heat and bring water to a low boil. Skim any foam and/or skins from top of water. Boil until chickpeas are very soft and can be easily smashed when pressed between two fingers, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Drain chickpeas (reserve cooking liquid to make hummus).

PEACE

But let’s cut to the chase.

The tiny community located in the heart of what is called, “Germany’s finest Gourmet corner,” boasts 40 restaurants. These range from wine-focused taverns to homey country inns to fine-dining establishments starred by Michelin and most offer must-try specialties.

Although the cornucopia creates the classic foodie conflict—so much to eat/so little time—not to worry. Forward-thinking Sasbachwalden restaurateurs have come up with a totally pleasing program that allows visitors to sample four different restaurants in one fine meal.

“Dinner jumping,” works like this: you reserve and prepay (65 Euros—about $84), by phone or online at least 14 days in advance of the dinner, and then pick up your dinner voucher at the tourist office when you reach Sasbachwalden. The voucher lists four restaurants, all within walking distance of each other, each serving a different course of your extravagant four-course meal. You don’t order specific dishes, but vegetarian options are available and the “surprise” menu represents the best of the chef’s repertoire using the freshest ingredients available that day.

My dinner jumping started at Gasthof Zum Holzwurm with the house-specialty Flammkuchen. The pizza-like bites of heaven served as an appetizer to the appetizer course, so as soon as I devoured the Flammkuchen I was served a generous first-course salad of greens topped with topped with vegetables and fish. Next, at Restaurant Sonne, I gobbled the second course (a rich barley risotto), before moving on to Hotel-Restaurant Engel for the main course  (perfectly cooked lamb with all the trimmings).  Dessert at the Restaurant Fallert included five exotic-flavored ice creams and mousses followed by a plate of the chef’s most divine candies and miniature pastries.  OMG. Sehr gut!

Mineral water and appropriate wine (usually the region’s famed Alde Gott) accompanied each course as did warm attentive service.

Four restaurants/four courses/flowing wine/ fabulous experience—foodies, you need to get yourself to Sasbachwalden.

For more information or to reserve, click here: Sasbachwalden Dinner Jumping.

For a sampling of the wunderbar Flammkuchen, read on.

FLAMMKUCHEN

Yield: 1 flammkuchen, 4 large pieces.

1/4 pound thickly sliced smoky bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick lardons

1 small to medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 cup quark

1/2 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons chopped chives

Salt

Pepper

Crust (You can use packaged thin pizza crusts, or thawed frozen pizza or bread dough or homemade pizza dough. If using dough, roll it 1/8-inch thick into a 12-inch circle.)

Start heating oven to 450°F.

Put bacon in a medium skillet and set over a moderate heat until the bacon renders its fat and just starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel to drain. Add onions to bacon fat in skillet and cook until just softened, but not browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer onions to a paper towel to drain. Set bacon and onions aside until cool.

Combine quark, sour cream and chives.

Spread mixture over crust coming to within 1/4 inch of the edge. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle onions and bacon evenly over the crust.

Set flammkuchen on the bottom rack of the preheated 450°F oven and bake until the crust turns golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Beloved by St. Louisans since first opening in 1927, Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier continues to make traditional high-quality chocolates and old-fashioned confections (HALLELUJAH), but keeps current by adding contemporary flavors to its candy repertoire and innovative concepts to it’s retail outlets.

For example Bissinger’s Maryland Plaza, an outlet in the heart of St. Louis, double dips as a shop selling chocolates as well as a café serving to-die-for chocolate desserts (and wine and savories).

One can enjoy St. Louis baseball and beer outside of St. Louis via TV and bars, and one can buy a selection of Bissinger’s candies through the Internet and catalogues, but to capture the magic of the café’s divine desserts, you have to be there. Unless you score a recipe. Look below.  GLORY BE!

Dave Owens

Bissinger’s chief chocolatier, Dave Owens, created Milk Chocolate Semifreddo for Maryland Plaza and claims that the semi-frozen magic is his favorite best seller. Although Owens dresses up the café version in fancy garnish (pictured), he says that the recipe is versatile and can “wow” even if garnished with nothing more than a sprinkling of toffee, a dab of whipped cream and/or a shot of liqueur. AMEN

MILK CHOCOLATE SEMIFREDDO

(Adapted from a recipe supplied by Dave Owens of Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier. Although the original recipe calls for milk chocolate, the semifreddo is also fabulous when made with dark chocolate.)

Yield: 8 servings.

3 large egg yolks

6 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/2 vanilla bean, halved or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 ounces milk (or dark) chocolate, chopped

1-1/3 cups heavy cream

Choice of garnish:

About 8 tablespoons coarsely chopped chocolate-covered English toffee (optional)

Whipped cream (optional)

Dark chocolate shavings (optional)

White chocolate shavings (optional)

Hazelnut, amaretto or chocolate liqueur (optional)

Beat egg yolks in the top of a double boiler or in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Continue beating, gradually adding sugar until mixture thickens. Beat in milk. If using the vanilla bean, add it to mixture.

Put water in the bottom of a double boiler or a saucepan, set over low heat and let water get hot. Set  top of double boiler or bowl over hot water and, whisking constantly, cook mixture until it is hot and thickens into a custard, about 10 minutes. Do not overheat or overcook.

Remove custard from the heat and, if using, remove the vanilla bean, scraping seeds into the custard. If using vanilla extract rather than vanilla bean, add extract to custard. Add chocolate and whisk until chocolate melts completely and custard is well blended. Set custard aside to cool completely.

Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until completely combined.

Spoon the mixture into eight ramekins, chocolate dessert cups, or dessert molds. Cover with plastic or foil and freezer several hours or overnight, until mixture is frozen solid.

To serve, (if using molds, unmold onto dessert plates) allow the semifreddo to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Garnish as desired, with chopped toffee, whipped cream, shaved chocolate and/or liqueur.

Serve immediately. Expect raves.

Theresa Nemetz on a Food Tour

A Milwaukee native and tourism ambassador with a passion for the city, Theresa showcases the food of Milwaukee through Milwaukee Food Tours, a business she runs with husband Wade.

The various 2-1/2 hour tours take participants on walks through Milwaukee’s historic, food-laden neighborhoods, stopping at restaurants, bakeries, and other specialty food outlets for sampling and savoring.

According to Theresa, “Milwaukee has a rich history, and the city’s cuisines are reflective of the many German, Italian and Polish influences of its immigrant past.”

Theresa looks to delicious ethnic Milwaukee when not only designing Food Tours, but also choosing restaurants to recommend to visitors. When asked for a list of personal favorite Milwaukee restaurants, Theresa replied:

MADER’S RESTAURANT, 1041 North Old World 3rd Street 414-271-3377

To sample the city’s German cuisine, step back in time and visit Mader’s on Old World Third, a cobblestone street once considered the heart of Milwaukee’s German activity.

Mader’s offers an extensive menu and you can’t go wrong trying their most famous German dishes, two of which are the Pork Shank with an apple demi-glaze and  Rouladen, a beef tenderloin rolled with pickle spear, smoked bacon and caramelized onions. Or if you just can’t decide, go with the German Sampler, which includes Wiener Schnitzel, Kasseler Rippchen and Rheinischer Sauerbraten with potato dumpling, sauerkraut and red cabbage.

CARADARO CLUB PIZZA, 5010 W. Vliet, .476.7700

Milwaukee was strongly influenced by the Italians and Sicilians, and so how could you visit Milwaukee without a sample of excellent cracker thin crust Sicilian pizza? Any of the local favorites, such as Balistreri’s, Barbiere’s, DeMarini’s and Zaffiro’s, are divine, but for a special treat, try stopping at the The Original Caradaro Club for a slice of pie using the original recipe for the first pizza ever served in Milwaukee.

RISTORANTE BARTOLOTTA, 7616 West State Street, 414-771-7910 

My personal favorite of the Bartolotta Family restaurants, is Ristorante Bartolotta, located in the quaint village of Wauwatosa, just outside of downtown Milwaukee.

Ristorante Bartolotta’s menu features hand-made pastas, (I especially like the Pappardelle al Ragu d’Anatra, a hand-cut Tuscan ribbon pasta tossed with a traditional slow-braised duck ragu) and seafood dishes (my favorite: Grigliata Mista di Mare, a seaside-style assortment of grilled seafood).

THREE BROTHERS, 2414 S Saint Clair St, 414-481-7530

Tucked away on an unassuming corner of the Bay View neighborhood you’ll find Three Brothers, a charming Serbian restaurant owned by Branko Radicevic, a 2002 James Beard award winner. The signature Serbian dish, burek, requires 45 to 60 minutes of attention in the kitchen before arriving at your table, but it is worth every minute. While waiting, be sure to nibble on the stuffed grape leaves as well as the Serbian hors d’oeuvres platter. (Please note – cash only.)

POLONEZ, 4016 South Packard Avenue, 414-482-0080

George and Aleksandra Burzynski

Another great place for Eastern European food is Polonez, owned and operated by Polish immigrants George and Aleksandra Burzynski. George cooked alongside his grandmother as a child, learning how to make her traditional Polish dishes, which he put on Polonez’s menu.  In my opinion, the Pierogi – Polish dumplings – and Czarnina soup are a must.

COMET CAFÉ, 1947 N. Farwell Avenue, 414-273-7677

Comet Café offers a wide lunch and dinner menu, but their passion is firm in everything bacon. Don’t miss their Sunday brunch complete with FREE bowls of bacon at each table,  Bloody Mary’s topped with bacon and Bacon Cakes (you guessed it – pancakes with bacon in them).

SANFORD, 1547 North Jackson Street, 414-276-9608

Chef Sandy D’Amato presents an ever-changing menu to his guests at Sanford on Milwaukee’s East Side. Sandy has received accolades both locally and nationally in Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, Wine Spectator, Milwaukee Magazine, Chicago Tribune, New York Times and Esquire. He was one of 12 chefs in the nation to be personally chosen by Julia Child to cook for her 80th birthday celebration in her hometown Boston, and he won the Perrier Jouet Best Chef Midwest award in 1996 from the James Beard Foundation.

What to order?  Just ask for the Seven-Course Surprise Tasting Menu where caution is thrown to the Sanford kitchen and a custom tailored menu is created for you!

ROOTS RESTAURANT & CELLAR, 1818 North Hubbard Street, 414-374-8480

Arguably offering one of the best views of downtown Milwaukee, Roots Restaurant & Cellar sits high above the city and offers a farm-to-table menu. Ask for seating on the patio with a view and dine on some gourmet favorites, such as the Sesame Mock Duck (made with mushroom rice noodles, pickled plums and marinated bean sprouts) and Truffle Seared Tenderloin (with chevre whipped potatoes and madeira~black truffle glace).

Casual, lighter fare is served downstairs in the Cellar.

KOPP’S CUSTARD, 5373 N. Port Washington Ave., 414-961-2006

Known equally for their jumbo butter burgers and frozen custard, Kopp’s Custard is a must  when in Milwaukee. Nothing can fully describe that overwhelming taste of buttery goodness with your first burger bite, or the deliciousness of any of their rich custard flavors. Although there are multiple locations, be sure to visit the Glendale location just north of downtown Milwaukee – it is on the site of the former Milky Way drive-in restaurant, which is rumored to be inspiration for Arnold’s Drive-In of Happy Days TV fame.

LAKEFRONT BREWERY, 1872 N. Commerce St., 414-372-8800

You can’t leave Milwaukee without experiencing a classic Friday Night Fish Fry, and what better place to do so than Lakefront Brewery, complete with polka music by Brew Haus Polka Kings and of course, a pint of Milwaukee-brewed beer. Consistently voted the #1 fish fry in Milwaukee, chose between the beer battered cod or the lightly breaded perch. While you’re there, be sure to stick around for a tour of the brewery – cheers, from Milwaukee!

Give me a taste and I’m totally smitten.

Scallops and lobster that come to my door,

Are some of the feast foods I simply adore.

Bright shiny cookbooks and facials with red wine,

Flying to Paris on OpenSkies airline.

Wanting suggestions for what Santa brings?

Here are the links to my favorite things (hint hint):

Liqueur-filled Pralines from CHOCOLAT in Fredericksburg, Texas.

Outrageously flavorful tidbits of chocolate magic from GAIL AMBROSIUS CHOCOLATIER in Madison Wisconsin.

British food specialties for that Dickens’s approach to the holidays from

MARKS & SPENCER.

Top quality seafood sent overnight delivery from ANDERSON SEAFOODS.

Biz beds or Biz seat on OPENSKIES, the all business class airline with routes to France from NYC.

Spa facial using the wine-based SanVino products at WALD & SCHLOSSHOTEL (Forest and Castle Hotel) in Friedrichsruhe, Germany.

And some just released cookbooks:

SIMPLY TRUFFLES by Patricia Wells

THE FOOD52 COOKBOOK by Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs

ULTIMATE COOKIES by Julia Usher with photographs by Steve Adams

 THE MERRION HOTEL

Upper Merrion Street, Dublin

One would think that 142 well-appointed guest rooms, a spa, swimming pool and fitness center, an impressive collection of Irish art, two gardens, two bars, two restaurants (one being Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, a Michelin two-star), and a superb location in Dublin’s city center would be enough attributes for The Merrion Hotel, but the list doesn’t begin to touch the magic of this five-star property.

Dublin is considered one of the greatest Georgian cities in the world, and The Merrion occupies four historic, red-brick Georgian townhouses dating from 1760.  Scrupulous restoration preserves the original integrity of the architecture and  thoughtful interior design helps the hotel radiate an ambiance of gracious gentility. Peat fires burn in drawing room fireplaces. Antique chandeliers light public rooms. Period furniture provides a feel of ancestral hominess.

But don’t think the Merrion is wedded to the past. The lovely guest rooms include every contemporary toy, such as Wi-Fi, flat screen TVs and multi-line phones with voicemail.

Located opposite from Government buildings and an easy stroll to restaurants, pubs, shopping, museums and a variety of sight seeing options, The Merrion provides top quality stays along with an opportunity to experience the best of Georgian Dublin from the inside out.

THE G HOTEL

Wallpark, Dublin Road, Galway

Perhaps the “g” in the g Hotel stands for Galway, the city of its location, or maybe g refers to glamour, glitz and glitter, as this five-star boutique hotel bursts with pumped-up, star-studded style.

Design director Philip Treacy used supermodels and Hollywood divas for inspiration when creating the hotel. Public rooms positively compete with each other for the spotlight. The hotel’s three themed lounges—the Grand Salon, a silver-and-cream-movie-fantasy set with a 300 dazzling mirrored balls hanging from the ceiling; the Pink Salon, a flamboyant maze of hot-flash pink and dizzy black and white stripes; and the darkly dramatic Blue Lounge—totter on the edge of kitsch. And the hotel’s restaurant is only a tad more subdued with mood lighting bringing out the brilliance of white tablecloths and neon-colored seating.

Restraint and tranquility comes into play with the spa (an oasis of quiet) and the 101 guest rooms.

Designed with a nod to Mother Nature,  guest rooms feature restful neutral colors and seaside decorations as well as all of the amenities expected in a five-star hotel.

Located overlooking Lough Atalia, and a few minutes drive from Galway’s city center, the hotel offers easy access to both city and regional exploring. The g will please those seeking both extravagant style and extraordinary substance.

ASHFORD CASTLE

Cong

Co Mayo

“A man’s home is his castle,” is not just a proverb.  In Ireland it’s a literal truth. Ashford Castle has been a home since the Anglo-Norman de Burgo family laid the first stones in 1228. Other notables calling Ashford home include Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, who bought the estate in 1852, adding acreage, roads and two large Victoria-styled extensions and his son, Lord Ardilaun, who took over in 1868, extending the gardens and rebuilding the entire west wing.

The property has traded owners happily ever after, being turned into a luxury hotel in 1939 as it remains to this day (under several different owners).

As one would expect from a true-blue castle, public rooms are no less than baronial, reflecting centuries of care in the rich oak paneling, period pieces and treasured objects de art.

In addition to the 83 classy and classic guest rooms , which differ greatly in size and configuration, Ashford Castle hosts a variety of places to eat and drink, a business center, a boutique and a health centre.

Bordered by Lough Corrib and the River Cong, and isolated on 350 acres filled with gardens, forests and glorious green land (where much of The Quiet Man was filmed), the grounds of Ashford Castle provide opportunity for a number of outdoor pursuits, including golf, fishing, archery, horse-back riding, clay-pigeon shooting and the darling of Medieval European nobles, falconry.

BELLINTER HOUSE HOTEL 

Navan, Co. Meath

Staying at Bellinter House is like staying with a quirky friend who owns a baronial country estate, employs a wonderful chef, and welcomes you to share the bounty.

The Palladian style-mansion, originally built in 1750, was renovated in 2004 and opened as a four-star spa hotel. Guest rooms fill various buildings over the rambling property and differ greatly as to size and décor, yet all contain plasma screen TV, WiFi, and an individually controlled “mood” lighting system.

By far the most fun and dramatic guests rooms are located in the Main House, as are the public rooms, which include the well-known Eden Restaurant (recipe follows), a bar, a games room and a library stocked not only with books, but also wellingtons (boots) for guests to borrow when tramping through the countryside. Well-worn wood floors, retro lighting, vintage and hand-made furniture, and some odd decorating touches (cow motifs—go figure) add to the Main House’s casual, lived-in character.

Bellinter House sits on the bank of river Boyne, in the lushly green parkland sweeps of County Meath and activities include hiking, biking, fishing, horseback riding, golf and sightseeing (important prehistoric sites as well as Trim castle, where Mel Gibson filmed Braveheart, are nearby).

BEEF AND GUINNESS STEW

(Adapted from a recipe supplied by Eden Restaurant, Bellinter house.)

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

About 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into large chucks

4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon paprika

About 2 cups Guinness, divided

2 sprigs rosemary, divided

2 sprigs thyme, divided

Oil

1 large onion, peeled and cubed

3 carrots, peeled and cubed

3 stalks celery, cubed

About 4-1/4 cups jus (see note) or very rich flavorful beef stock

1-1/2 tablespoons butter

8 ounces mushrooms, halved or quartered

Cooked green beans

Mashed potatoes

Marinate beef for one or two days before making the stew.

TO MARINATE THE BEEF: Put beef in a glass bowl (or a plastic bag). Sprinkle garlic and paprika over beef and toss well. Add about 3/4 cup Guinness, one sprig thyme and one sprig rosemary; stir gently. Cover bowl or secure bag and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days, adjusting ingredients occasionally, if necessary to redistribute marinade.

TO COOK

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Drain and discard marinade from beef. Dry beef with paper towels. Heat a little oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy ovenproof pan and brown beef cubes on all sides. Remove beef from pan and set aside.

Add onion, carrot and celery to pan and sauté until onion just begins to brown. Add jus to pan and stir. Add beef, remaining Guinness, rosemary and thyme. Stir gently. Bring liquid just to a boil.

Cover pan and place in a preheated 400°F oven until beef is very tender, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, heat butter in a skillet and sauté mushrooms until brown. Just before serving, add mushrooms to stew.

Serve stew in bowls, topped with green beans and mashed potatoes.

NOTE: Eden Restaurant makes jus by slowly simmering rich beef stock with red wine until the liquid is reduced significantly.  For this recipe you can simmer 2 quarts of rich flavorful beef stock with about 1 cup red wine until liquid is reduced to about 4 cups.

Imagine being in Phuket (Southern Thailand), boarding a yacht equipped with six luxury en-suit cabins and an attentive staff that includes a gifted cook.

Perhaps you will head off to the clear waters of the Andaman Sea—or the Indian Ocean—or the Gulf of Thailand; whatever the itinerary, it will be tailored as you desire, as will your activities. You might ask to stop for swimming, diving, snorkeling, fishing, or beachcombing on a slew of virtually virginal tropical islands, or perhaps you prefer to lounge on one of the decks and soak up the sun and then chase the sunset, always surrounded by ever-changing, spectacular scenery.

Too good to be true? No, indeed. The Siam Junk is yours for the charter.

Built in 2007, of Burmese teak and ironwood, The Siam Junk is designed to resemble the ancient sailing vessels used for centuries to carry goods between Thailand and Myanmar. The Junk’s Asian decor reinforces the ships exotic exterior providing a perfect marriage of function and style. At 113-feet long and 23-feet wide, the Junk is large enough to accommodate 12 to 18 overnight guests or up to 60 day trippers in comfort—and it is small enough to squeeze into tight passages unavailable to larger ships.

Charter The Siam Junk for the day, a week, a month or two—but once you taste the food, you will want to stay forever (that’s a promise—see sample recipe below).

In addition to charters, The Junk offers a few set cruises, many designed for photography groups and all satisfying to food lovers.

Unique, delightful, relaxing, fun—oops, as I said, I really shouldn’t talk about it too much.

THE SIAM JUNK’S

YELLOW CURRY WITH CHICKEN AND SQUASH 

Yield 2 to 4 servings.

13 to 14 ounces coconut milk

2 tablespoons yellow Thai curry paste

10 ounces skinned, boned chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces

10 ounces butternut, acorn or pumpkin squash flesh, cut into bite-size pieces

1 tablespoon or more sugar

1 tablespoon or more of good quality fish sauce

Thai basil or mint leaves, optional garnish

Put coconut milk in a heavy wok or frying pan, set wok over moderate heat and bring milk to a simmer.  Add the curry paste and stir well. Once the curry paste has been thoroughly incorporated, bring mixture back to the simmer. Add the chicken and squash and stir well.

Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and squash is tender, about 30 minutes.

Add sugar and fish sauce until the taste is good to you.

Serve immediately garnished with basil or mint leaves if desired.

If you guessed Switzerland you are only half right.

I am in “Little Switzerland,” the affectionate name given to New Glarus, a Swiss-settled community in Green County, Wisconsin.

More specifically I am at the New Glarus Hotel Restaurant gorging on Swiss dishes and watching a fondue demonstration—but more about that later.

New Glarus isn’t new. The town dates to 1845 when immigrants fleeing a famine started arriving from the canton of Glarus in Switzerland (the real deal) to settle the Wisconsin land that so resembled their native alpine farmland. The colony became an official village in 1901 and remains the major Swiss center of North America, welcoming Swiss immigrants, upholding Swiss traditions and celebrating Swiss heritage.

So here are a few things you might not know about New Glarus and its surroundings (in no particular order):

1. In 1905, the New Glarus area sported so many cheese factories (22 to be exact) that the village was called “the cheese Capital of the World.” Production has slowed; nevertheless Green County still claims to have the largest concentration of specialty cheese factories and award winning cheese makers in the United States. The County hosts the National Historic Cheesemaking Center and a plethora of shops selling cheese as well as restaurants serving cheese-based dishes.

2. The first woman to operate a brewery in the United States was/is Deborah Carey, who with her husband Dan, opened the New Glarus Brewing Company in 1993. The brewery rocks on today and is well worth a visit.

3. At one time over 100 cheese makers around New Glarus produced Limburger cheese and the stinky stuff

Serving Baumgartner's Limburger sandwiches.

was considered so important to the community that it was used as legal tender. Today only one Limburger plant remains and that’s in Monroe, Wisconsin. The best place to try the cheese is also in Monroe at Baumgartner’s Cheese Store and Tavern, which opened in 1931 and is considered the oldest cheese store in Wisconsin. Baumgartner’s servers it’s Limburger sandwich on rye with raw onions. Talk about aroma…well, let’s not! I much prefer the scent of fondue, which brings us back to the New Glarus Hotel Restaurant.

Built by Swiss immigrants in 1853 as a rooming house for travelers, the New Glarus Hotel Restaurant now functions primarily as a restaurant serving authentic Swiss dishes and sometimes staging Swiss-style concerts, dances and even cooking demonstrations for tourists who come by the busloads.

The following recipe comes from their fondue demo led by Chef Roland Fürst. Should you like, you can add a dash of dry mustard to the recipe and it would still be authentic. Yodel-ah-ee-OOOoooo

CHEESE FONDUE

Chef Roland Furst making fondue.

Yield: About 4 servings.

1 cup plus 1/4 cup dry white wine, divided

4 cups (about 3/4 pound) shredded Appenzeller, Gruyere or Emmentaler cheese

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1-1/2 teaspoons very finely chopped fresh garlic

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Pinch nutmeg

About 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons Kirsch

Crusty French bread, cut into bite size cubes

Put 1 cup wine in a heavy fondue pot.

Set pot over high heat and bring wine to a gentle boil. Reduce heat so that wine simmers.

Gradually stir cheese into wine. When the cheese melts and is smooth, stir in the lemon juice, garlic, dill, pepper and nutmeg.

Combine cornstarch with remaining wine. Add to cheese and stir well. Let cook a minute or two, stirring constantly, until fondue is thick and smooth. Stir in the Kirsch.

Serve immediately with bread chunks for dipping.

Marion Busacker

Although Marion Busacker has lived in Stuttgart, Germany,  only three years, she knows the city inside and out. As the Stuttgart Tourist Office’s press and public relations representative, it’s her job to know what the city offers and to showcase the best of the best to the press.

She says that she worked as a journalist for a TV production company in Cologne for 13 years before switching jobs and that she decided to work in Stuttgart as she had visited many times and believes the city is well worth seeing and promoting.

She especially likes the Stuttgart restaurants, coffee houses, cafes, beer gardens and other pleasure places—and many for reasons that have to do with ambiance as well as food and drink.

Although picking favorites might not be politically correct for a tourist bureau ambassador, that didn’t stop Marion from generously supplying a short list of her personal musts. In her own words (in English not her native German), Marion says she likes:

Cube Restaurant  

View from the Cube Restaurant

Kleiner Schloßplatz 1

70173 Stuttgart

Tel.: +49 (0) 711-280 44 41

This glass-enclosed restaurant is located on the top floor of the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart (Stuttgart Museum of Art), which is located at Stuttgart’s most beautiful place: Palace Square. If you get a table at the window bank, the view of Palace Square and the hills in the background is served with your menu. Business people like the Cube for lunch and at noon the price is more moderate than in the evening. But in the evening when the sun goes down and the lights in the city are switched on the view is extraordinary. The restaurant serves very good international cuisine and has an extensive wine list. You can combine a visit to the museum, which holds the world’s most important collection of the German artist Otto Dix, with lunch or dinner at the Cube. The museum is open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Tuesday through Sunday and from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Wednesday. The Cube is open Monday to Sunday from 11:30 a.m. until midnight.

Restaurant Fässle

Löwenstraße 51

70597 Stuttgart (Degerloch)

Tel: +49 (0) 711-76 01 00

At this special restaurant, Eva and Rudolf Schmölz combine tradition and modernity. This is my favorite restaurant in Stuttgart. The food is fantastic and, although the restaurant is not inexpensive, in my opinion, it offers a very good value for the money. The restaurant is open on Monday from 6:30 p.m. until midnight and on Tuesday through Saturday from noon until 2 p.m. and then again at 6:30 p.m. until midnight. Closed on Sunday.

Weinstube Lowen

Weinstube Löwen 

Trollingerstr. 4

70329 Stuttgart (Uhlbach)

Tel: +49 711-32 60 322

This cozy, Swabian restaurant is located in the vineyard surrounding Stuttgart-Uhlbach, next to the Viniculture Museum. My advice: Take the S1 (subway) to Untertürkheim. Walk the wine path, climb the Württemberg up to the Grabkapelle (burial chapel) and then walk through the vineyards down to the restaurant, which is located in a landmarked house built in 1690. Be sure to order a Viertele (a quarter) of local wine and sample the local food specialties, which include Maultaschen (a large ravioli-type pasta stuffed with all sorts of fillings), Käsespätzle (spatzle with cheese) and Zwiebelrostbraten (roasted beef with onions).  Weinstube Löwen is open from 11:30 a.m. until midnight each day except Wednesday when it is closed.

Weinstube Fröhlich

Leonhardstraße 5  70182 Stuttgart

Tel: +49 (0) 711-24 24 71

A popular historic wine tavern located in the red light district, but you don’t have to fear to go there. The kitchen offers traditional Swabian food as well as creative dishes such as ostrich and chili crème brulée with chocolate. The wine list includes a wide range of local wines but also wine from Italy, France, Spain and South Africa.  This great favorite with locals is open daily from 5:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. and until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. The restaurant also has a little garden where, depending on the weather, you can sit and eat from May to September until 11 p.m.

Gelataria

Marienplatz 12

70178 Stuttgart

Tel.: 0 711-633 83 83

This ice cream parlor, at the Marienplatz in Stuttgart-Heslac, belongs to the Café Kaiserbau (near the Park Inn Hotel) and offers a range of fancy ice creams with creative flavors such as licorice, basil, caramel & salt, curd cheese & quince. In winter the flavors might include cinnamon, Schwarzwalder Kirsch (black forest) and Spekulatius (almond biscuit). Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., even in the winter.

Eis-Bistro Pinguin  

Eugensplatz 2a

70184 Stuttgart

Tel: +49 (0) 711-263-7973

Ice cream parlor at the Eugensplatz where you combine your ice cream with a fantastic panoramic view over Stuttgart. To get there, climb the Eugenstaffel (Duke Eugen Steps).  Open Monday through Friday from at 11 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. until 10 p.m. each day. Closed in winter.

 Café Seyffer’s

Vogelsangstr. 55

Stuttgart

Tel. +49(0)711/935 59 90

My favorite café, hidden in Stuttgart-West, is yet undiscovered by tourists. It’s a good place to go for breakfast, for sitting in the midday sun, and/or for drinking a beer in the evening. The café is tastefully furnished with Andalusian touches and has a huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling.   I go there to drink and usually have a Prosecco or Aperol Sprizz. The café is open from Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. and on Saturdays, Sundays and some holidays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

 Hüftengold  

The cake display at Huftengold

Olgastr. 44

70182 Stuttgart

Tel: +49 (0) 711-248-6988

A very nice, uncomplicated bistro in the Bohnenviertel (Bean Quarter, a relic of historic Stuttgart which has managed to survive until the present day). Not far from the city center, Hüftengold is only about a ten minutes walk from the Schlossplatz (Palace Square). Decorated with candles, working fireplace and flowers, this charming café serves Indian curries, pasta, Sauerbraten, salad and homemade desserts. I think that anybody will find something on the menu to like. It’s a lovely place to linger over afternoon cakes and coffee. Open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. until midnight; Saturday from 9 a.m. until 1 a.m.; Sunday from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.; and Friday from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Vineyards surround Stuttgart

Tschechen & Söhne / Karlshöhe  

Humboldtstraße 44

70178 Stuttgart

Tel: +49 (0) 711-284 68 78

A great place to escape, this beer garden is located on a hill called Karlshöhe and is surrounded by a park and a small city vineyard. There you have a scenic view of the south of Stuttgart. From May through September you can combine a visit to the beer garden with a visit to the city lapidarium. Although in the middle of the traffic noise of the city, the park invites you to meditate under its mighty old trees. The colonnades, terraces and lawns, which reach to the Karlshöhe, have a tranquil magic. The park grounds, which were built according to the model of Italian renaissance gardens, contain portals, columns and parts of architecture of what were once famous Stuttgart buildings, offering the visitor a clear image of the former Stuttgart city culture.

Opening hours depend on the weather. In good summer weather the beer garden is generally open every day from 11 a.m. until midnight. In doubtful weather it is best to call in advance. Closed in winter, more or less from October to March.

Teehaus Stuttgart im Weissenburgpark  

Hohenheimer Strasse 119

70184 Stuttgart

Tel: +49 (0) 711-236 736 0

Wonderful art nouveau pavilion built in 1913 with a restaurant inside, beer garden, huge terrace, pond and fountain outside. It’s open from March to October and the rest of the year only at the weekends. I like to sit outside in the sun and drink a Radler (beer mixed with Sprite) or have a cup of coffee and a piece of cake.

Waldheim Heslach   

Dachswaldweg 180

70569 Stuttgart

Tel: +49 (0) 711-6872271

Considered the largest beer house in Stuttgart, the restaurant is more than a place to enjoy good food. It is the idyllic place to go with kids, because they have a children’s playground. You can sit inside the restaurant or outdoors, on a meadow under old fruit trees, and order a range of popular specialties including Schnitzel, different kinds of Maultaschen, fish, steak, salad and the like. This is a popular restaurant in a lovely setting and is especially nice on beautiful days. Open from May 1^st through August 31st from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. and from September 1^st to April 30^th on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday until Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Bier, Trollinger and neuer wein---just a few of Stuttgart's drinking delights

I look for diners wherever I wander and recently lucked out in Manhattan, where a Roosevelt Hotel bellman, whose body said he knew food, gave me the tip. “Try The Comfort Diner,” he said. “Great place. Right down the street (at 214 E 45th).  Breakfast can’t be beat. You’ll like it.”

Lynn Septoff

And was he right! The Comfort Diner is the epitome of what I like in a diner. The ambiance, complete with both booth and counter seating, radiates a worn, unpretentious vintage charm. The kitchen produces made-from-scratch basic dishes with some upgrade touches, and, last, but never least, the staff aims to please.

The diner’s manager, Lynn Septoff, used to be the diner’s pastry chef before she burned out, now she’s upfront greeting and seating guests, schmoozing with customers and welcoming all with a big smile.

Knowing I was interested in food, Lynn suggested that I order the house specialty red flannel hash and even brought a sample taste to tempt me.

Order I did. Loved it of course. And when I moaned that I couldn’t bear to wait to next time I was in NY to enjoy it again, Lynn disappeared into the back room and typed the recipe for me.

When it comes to simple diner pleasure, the Comfort Diner is as good as it gets—and so is their hash.

COMFORT DINER’S RED FLANNEL HASH

Yield: about 6 servings.

3/4 pounds beets, (about 5 beets)

Olive oil

1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1medium red potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup diced scallions, (1/4-inch dice)

3 pounds cooked corned beef, trimmed of all fat and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Poached eggs (see note)

Wheat toast (for serving)

Trim stems from beets, wrap in aluminum foil, and put in a preheated 350°F oven.  Roast until tender, about 1 hour. Set beet aside to cool and then rinse them in cool water, peel them and cut into 1/2-inch cubes; set cubes aside.

Put oil in a wok or heavy fry pan and set over moderated heat until hot. Add red potatoes and sauté, just until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove red potatoes from pan and set aside.

Add sweet potatoes and sauté until tender, about 12 minutes. Remove sweet potatoes from pan and set aside.

Add more oil to the skillet if necessary and sauté onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, beets, beef and scallions to onions in skillet and sauté, until heated through and potatoes are slightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serve topped with poached eggs and accompanied with wheat toast.

NOTE: TO POACH EGGS IN ADVANCE AND REHEAT JUST BEFORE SERVING

Bring a small pot of water to a full boil. Break egg into a small measuring cup. Make a whirlpool in center of the boiling water with the handle of a wooden spoon. Carefully lower egg into center of whirlpool. Reduce heat to a simmer. Let egg simmer until white is cooked and yolk is set but still runny, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon remove egg to a bowl of cold water.

Repeat with as many eggs as you need.

When all eggs are cook, one at a time lift egg from water with your hand and trim scraggly edges with a sharp knife. Put egg in fresh bowl of cold water. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate overnight.

To reheat, fill a bowl with hot water. Drain eggs in cold water and transfer to bowl with hot water. Replenish hot water if necessary. Let eggs sit until warm, then drain and serve.